Worst of the Worst

Sheriff’s deputy Sgt. Glenn Antonio said every patrol car assigned to San Marcos the night of Saturday, April 18, was called to the Jumping Turtle. In addition to those eight cars, “We called in [sheriff’s deputy] units from unincorporated areas as far away as Valley Center.” He says seven CHP units and the Sheriff’s Astrea helicopter were also on the scene.

“We got a call from someone inside who said that there was a near-riot and that the security couldn’t handle it.”

North County–based Wanted Dead headlined a show that night that also featured Tim Raldo and the Filthy Fucks, Buckface, and the Embalmers.

The Jumping Turtle hosts bands five to seven nights a week. Over the years, the restaurant/bar near Palomar College has hosted punk and hardcore national bands such as Otep, Static X, TSOL, Exodus, Telstar, Into Eternity, Green Jellÿ, M.O.D., and Flotsam and Jetsam.

Antonio says that once the deputies arrived, “The band started inciting the people to riot. The security or management unplugged the power and the band continued to play.” He said eventually the security and law-enforcement officers got almost everyone outside but those who remained inside were the most unruly.

Antonio says there were three arrested that night. “There should have been more arrests, but we were only able to get to the worst of the worst. One of our deputies was jumped.”

He said the most serious arrest was of a 17-year-old who was charged with being intoxicated, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer with violent force. The other two, aged 18 and 28, were also charged with being intoxicated. Antonio says one of his men had to use a taser.

The Jumping Turtle is one of the few all-age music venues in San Diego County that has a full bar.

Antonio says his department recently contacted the City of San Marcos with specific requests about what should now happen with the Jumping Turtle’s entertainment license.

“The Jumping Turtle has been a drain on law enforcement resources for two to three years. That is an establishment that is legally permitted to operate as a restaurant. We have suggested that some type of action take place.… Things are in the works. We are not ready to comment on anything just yet.”

In San Marcos it is the city clerk’s office that handles entertainment permits.

City clerk Susie Vasquez says that she has received the sheriff department’s request but has yet to make an announcement on a decision. On April 29, she said she had yet to contact Jumping Turtle ownership and that she should issue a decision within a week.

Here’s what Brayden, 27, had to say about the night.

“At the time, I thought the cops were out of line, but later, after sobering up, I realized it was purely the show and the excitement of the night inciting the violence and chaos.… Once they were carried out by security, they fought back even harder.”

Comments

how come los angeles can have shows with alcohol and all ages and san diego county cant? this has baffled me for years. i've been to punk shows in los angeles where there was a bar and it was 18 and up and they seem to be pretty civilized. i dont get it.

that's a great question, sugar. i used to be a doorperson (i refuse to say bouncer lol) at a little semi popular nightclub in '89 called Rio's, it was on west pt loma blvd. they served alcohol, but it was an 18 and up club and they just had a section for those 18-20. but everyone intermingled (is that even a word?)
but idk if they have places like that now.

don't recall wanted dead even getting a chance to play that night. as for that dart/ pool bar incident, blame some of their fans, not the band. the gents in wanted dead are a cool bunch. it's the meathead o'side " sharks" that are the problem. always wanting to prove how "down" they are. and cops everywhere ( escondido, san marcos, san diego, o'side, etc..) will always hassel the all age punker shows. easy pickens. you don't see them hassling the drunk ass jimmy buffet crowd do you? they have better lawyers. and we all know ken is trying to shut down the turtle so bands will go to his broom closet of a club.

The problem is NOT the bands but the Jumping Turtle itself. Understaffed and inadequte trained security and mixing alcohol with all age shows. Serving alcoholic beverages without proper reinforcement and only a simple wristband or line drawn on the floor does not stop a recipe for disaster especially when there are minors involved, and minors out past curfew...where are the parents? So of course you are going to have some little drunk 17 year old think he is a big man and get his ass handed to him the way his momma should have. They call that liquid courage, as he gets older the little punk can learn about beer googles. If you are going to have all ages shows your best bet is zero alcohol. what about the the music you ask? they dont' call it HARDCORE for nothing. 1..2..3..4.....1..2..3..4.
where's LEE VING when you need him!

Same thing happened a few years back at a DART/POOL bar in Oceanside. You'd think they were playing some LA punk club in the early 80's. There were old guys sitting in there at the bar who'd been drinking since the afternoon.

Words of wisdom for "Wanted Dead":

Punk ain't no religious cult
Punk means thinking for yourself
You ain't hardcore cos you spike your hair
When a jock still lives inside your head

If you've come to fight, get outa here
You ain't no better than the bouncers
We ain't trying to be police
When you ape the cops it ain't anarchy

Ten guys jump one, what a man
You fight each other, the police state wins
Stab your backs when you trash our halls
Trash a bank if you've got real balls

You still think swastikas look cool
The real nazis run your schools
They're coaches, businessmen and cops
In a real fourth reich you'll be the first to go

You'll be the first to go
You'll be the first to go
You'll be the first to go
Unless you think

Well the previous comments sum up Ken pretty well. Any doubt one may have of the true intentions of this article has been cleared up by Ken's behavior here. What reporter gets into a comment battle?
Words at this point have no meaning from Ken. Anyone who doubts his history just Google "Ken Leighton" and you'll be busy. This guy has numerous complaints and suits pending. More concerning is the amount of pending suits against the Reader itself. I thought the Reader was an informative music/event periodical. One would assume otherwise based on the employment of Ken Leighton alone. However, one interesting item for thought is that Ken freelances for the Reader. I guess they want to keep him at arm’s length too. I encourage others to start supporting the alternative periodicals. City Beat, No Cover, etc..

You reference the Union Tribune article and near the end the Sgt. clearly states that they do not believe that the JT serves minors.

Ken is still a failure. Funny you did not mention your establishment in your article. Does conflict of interest mean anything to you?

My final point is that using Sulo King as a reference shows just how out of touch you are with the scene. Sulo is a half assed promoter who failed at the JT. He did not leave; he was asked to resign. There are plenty of people who attend Sulo's shows that can attest that he is a joke as a promoter. Sulo failed because he did not put the work in. He used his connections from Max at Brick by Brick as long as long as he could. He was lazy, did not meet his guarantees, mismanaged his shows, etc.. My friends, this is all fact. Sulo did bring the first nationals to JT, but his business dealings almost destroyed the JT. Sulo would have a bad show and blame it on the club, security, Matt Hall, or whoever was available. Sulo is a perfect example of a little boy who wants to play big shot without putting any time or effort into the show. Sulo is more concerned about the perks than the work. Once again this is all fact. Joe Troutman came in and did the Nationals well. The last two years is a testament to what this club has done. When Sulo was let go from the JT he went back to Brick by Brick. Now he hides behind Max and takes the credit. I am not really sure why because BBB line ups have been pretty dismal the last couple of years.

The moral of the story is that envy is such a disgusting emotion. Instead of attacking these people, why don't you put that energy into running your business' properly? Maybe you'll find success.

P.S. Funny how the shooting at Brick by Brick a few weeks ago never made the papers. Hmmmmmm.... maybe you should be more concerned about your own security issues Sulo!!

Ken Leighton, once again you are a lieing piece of crap!!! This entire article is a bunch of crap!!!

Mr. Leighton has spent the past few months doing everything he possibly can to put the Jumping Turtle out of business. But you know what Ken, YOU'RE FAILING!!!

How dare you attack the Jumping Turtle! How can you possibly say such cruel things?! You are a miserable jealous piece of crap, and you deserve to know it!

San Diego deserves to know the truth about you! You are jealous of The Jumping Turtle and desperately trying to put them out of business, in hopes of making your own crappy dive bar "better". News Flash! IT AIN'T HAPPENING!!!!!!!

Ken, no one likes a liar! Stop calling the cops and wasting my hard earned tax dollars on your false reports! The cops have better things to do like busting REAL criminals, than making a stop by the Turtle to harass Joe Troutman and Matt Hall. I don't pay my taxes for you to waste on your own pathetic agenda! In fact, I hope the next call to the cops that you place, lands you behind bars! And you know what? I hope that you end up in a cell with Bubba for a VERY long time!

NOTHING in the above article is at all true! DO NOT believe a single word that Ken Leighton says! He's a lieing piece of crap, and needs to be stopped!

Mr. Leighton, you need to stop your evil tirade right now and issue an apology to both Matt Hall, Joe Troutman, AND all the bands and fans who frequent The Jumping Turtle, for all your incessant lies, and false accusations. You also then need to fork over some money to the San Marcos Sheriff's department to cover all the massive expenses they've incurred because of your excessive amount of calls and all their wasted time. You should probably fork over some donuts too, as a nice gesture! Next, you need to IMMEDIATELY resign from the San Diego Reader, and NEVER WRITE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

Ken Leighton, you are a lieing, jealous, no good piece of crap and you WILL BE STOPPED!!!